Mom's Taxi

I used to be really annoyed by those bumper stickers that say "Mom's Taxi". Seriously? Isn't there more to life than toting your kids from place to place? And indeed, there is. But my Kia Sedona has become, however much to my shagrin, Mom's Taxi. It's not like my kids are over-extended with extra-curricular activities. They don't have anxiety or performance disorders from having to be signed up for every possible option that fills up their free time. But, we do want them to be exposed to different things and if at all possible, find a "niche". I think Brent and I both wish that we had more of those kinds of opportunities ourselves growing up. Even though he was into sports and I was in the band. It's probably in our kids' best interest that thus far, we haven't been able to afford to sign up our kids for a million things. I meet people at the ball park whose sons have been playing ball 2 seasons a year since they were 3 years old. I know people whose daughters have been dancing or doing gymnastics since they were 2. And they're quite good. So at 6 years old you have kids that are hitting balls to the fence and kids that are on competitive dance or gymnastics squads.

And then, you have the McCaigs. We've allowed them to each try something that was of interest to them since they turned 4. You know, to see if any natural "inklings" show themselves. And with 3 kids, that's a lot. Hence, the taxi.

Carter is in his 2nd season of baseball. He loves it. He even gets a hit every once in a while. But while he's in the outfield he picks at the grass and twirls around, tossing his hat up into the air and I find myself saying a little prayer that the ball doesn't come to him. If it does, there's a good chance that a) he'll fight over it with another outfielder while the opposing team scores 3 or 4 runs or b) it will go between his legs and it will take him what seems like an eternity to figure out where it went and what to do with it.

Don't get me wrong. He's actually a lot better than he was last year in his first season. And he's really cute in his uniform, as you'll see below.

I sometimes wonder if we did them a diservice by keeping them out of stuff until age 4. But then I think, no. They'll be fine. They'll practice and get better, or they'll quit.

Hunter has tried ballet, gymnastics, basketball and karate. Right now she's in Girl Scouts. She loves it and so do I. First of all, it doesn't require much from me. I try to help out when I can or chaperone field trips, but it doesn't seem like I have to all that much. There are 2 or 3 moms who have made it their life's mission to be a good Girl Scout troop leader and they spend probably ungodly amounts of time planning fun stuff for them to do to earn their badges. A whole stack of which sits on my kitchen counter waiting to be sewn onto her vest. After all that work and planning? Rudeness.

Parker has just turned 4 so he has done Karate. About which he commented, "I don't like it because they're always telling me what to do". And last night he started taking basketball lessons. He is SO EXCITED I cannot even explain it. You wouldn't believe the sheer joy that was in his face last night as he tried to dribble the ball and shoot baskets. I guess that's what happens when you're the baby and you have waited SO LONG for your mom to finally say that she'll taxi you around to your own thing and not just your siblings'.

Below are some pictures of what we've been spending a lot of time doing recently. Baseball. Usually 3 days a week we're there. Plus basketball twice and whatever the Girl Scouts are doing. Plus Hunter is in a competitive book club twice a month. It's not 1/2 as much as what some people do. But I'm accepting this role cheerfully. Now I see why people want to do it. Because it's fun for their kids and they want to support their interests. I don't want it to take over my life or anything. Or the kids' lives for that matter. It is a difficult balance in today's day and age. School, extra-curriculars, Spiritual life. We want our kids to be as well-rounded as possible and to try new things. Next year I want Hunter to learn to read music. And Carter is already begging for guitar lessons. *Sigh*

I better get a job. And a bumper sticker.

Batter up!

I think this is one of those pictures where you look back and say, "Oh my goodness, look at how tiny he is!"

Cool kid.

Practice swings.

I could do a whole post about how much torture it can be on the siblings of a baseball player. The parents want to watch the game. Plus I am very neurotic about the ball field. Creeps hang out there, you know. Lying in wait for kids whose parents aren't really watching them. Therefore, my kids are not allowed to go to the playground or leave my side. This can be very boring for them and very trying for me. I try to make it the best that it can be for them though and encourage them that this is part of how we support each other as a family. And since they all get to do something at some time, what goes around comes around.